Obstacles and hills

My ah-ha moment today...my youngest son Eli was looking behind him walking this morning and came millimeters away from walking into a brink wall. The whole time I was saying "turn around" and "watch out"! He choose to take his focus off what was ahead and it almost ended in a boo-boo!

On the other hand I have a friend whom I run with...if she knows the course ahead and knows there is a hill coming she slows not thinking of the straight she is own but the hill to come. She doesn't focus on how many she had run before know she can face another one but the thought that she can't do this one.

We as Christians need to watch our way (God) and focus not on why behind us (all our past sins) but the will of God...but we are not to worry about the "hills" to come!  God had brought us through many hills before, even when we thought we couldn't face another one! Give your hills(worries) to God, He is our ever present help...

So don't look behind or focus on what's to come...focus on God!

Thank you God for all you have done and continue to do! 

Garbage in...garbage out

There are so many times when running and your spiritual walk have a lot of similarities...my run from yesterday made me think of one of these. As many of you know yesterday was Isaacs graduation...we went out for lunch (thank you Nana) we went to cfa. While the foo was awesome I would soon regret my #3! 

I have been running everyday or every other day...I did not run Thursday so I wanted to run. When Bryan got home, in between rain showers, I decided to run. NOT A GOOD IDEA! I have never felt so sick! 

This made me think of so many times we face things in our lives without properly feeding ourselves spiritually. It I so much easier to run with you have eaten well just as if you are in Gods word trials are easier...I didn't say easy...running or trials  aren't easy but properly feed they aren't as difficult.

Are you takin time in Gods word? If you say you don't have time are you making time for your fav tv shows or shopping or whatever it is?!? Garbage in...garbage out.

Day before the race-first solo 5k

I am nervous, it makes no sense! Tomorrow I will run my first solo 5k (I did 2 a couple of years ago with a double stroller). This time I can't say, " I might have been slower but they weren't pushing a double stroller" this race is gonna be all my time...

I have run time and time before...Lord focus me...remind me this isn't about me instead its about time with you! I'm looking forward to 40 mins of praise and worship time...with my lips and my body! Please help me remember to watch what I put in today and tomorrow so that what I put out is pleasing to you! Remind me of all the scriptures I have learned when I am running and need them the most! Re mind me how lucky I am to walk let alone be able to run! I love you!!!

My goals

This week in our run for God we are suppose to start a journal. I for one have started one many times over the years but been able to stick with it. This has happened with other things in my life before...I have started baby blankets, cross stitching, sewing, journaling, and I'm sure other things. So why am I running? What are my goals? I for one want to stick with something, I am so thankful to have my group at church to encourage me and hold me accountable. If I were doing this on my own I don't know that I would have stuck with it but I know that if I don't run during the week I won't be able to keep up.

I also had labs done recently and my cholesterol is very high for me just to be 25. I don't want to be med dependent at my age so I guess I want to get healthier as well. 

And since having kids I have gained weight I don't have a number in mind but I would like to look and feel better...running does this almost instantly...I come home and sit down and I am tired but I know that if I just get up and run I will feel better. So I want to lose weight and have more energy.

I also want to encourage my children to get active! 

And more than anything I wanted to prove to myself that even though I think I am so busy all the time I do have time if I just make it. Time for running and time for God...often these two overlap. While running I listen to Christian music and my mind gets a chance to focus on Him, what He has made and what He has done for me. I enjoy and even look forward to these mins with God!

It is so great to see where I have come from just one short month ago!

My run this far...28 days in...

I wanted to share where I am as of now...the boys and I began walking 28 days ago we walked .86 miles and going up our driveway (which is quite a hill I might add) I was out of breath.

Today I just ran/walked 2.93 miles, and felt like I could have maybe gone farther! I am currently in week 6 of run for God. I have had a training plan both physically and spritiually and feel I have grown in both. It takes alot more to get me out of breath, and I have spent more time in the bible. To top it all off I have lost 3.5 lbs as of this am...which is still flucuating but any loss is good!

Saturday I got to meet some increadable runners, one from Statesville who ran a 20k in 4 1/2 hours and didnt even look like he had been running at all...and one who looked the same after 50K (that's over 30 miles!!!) While I may never reach those goals (expecially in that terrain) I was honored to be  there to see them cross the finish line! My goal is to continue running and building endurance both physically and spiritually.  I want to RUN FOR GOD, and on the day my race is finished I pray I have been able to point toward Him.

"Let us run with endurance the race set before us."

Keep your eyes on Jesus...

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

Pastor Tim talked about this verse last week. While I dont know why people get sick, people walk away from relationships, people die , and people lose their jobs I have to trust that God will work it together for his good.

I often think I would have been a lot like Peter...I can see wanting something so bad and believing that God is able to do it...then looking down and relizing what is going on, getting scared and sinking.

This happened when Uncle Brian died, I knew all along God had a plan and purpose for his life but when he did die I was angry. Why did this happen to such a good godly man, who would have done anything for anyone? I got angry (my sinking).

Others face worry (which I have before when I lost my job at Barium just having my second child), some it is doubt, for each it is different. But for the one that might have lost today, they only  thing I know to tell you is that "God will supply all of your needs according to His riches". Keep your eyes on Him! He loves you! He will never leave you nor forsake you, and He sticks closer than a brother. Cry out to Him, He hears them even if no words come from your lips.

I love you all!

"...Let us run with endurance..."

So I have been doing this "Run for God" study, and thinking a lot about how it relates to our spiritual walk. One verse that has popped out to me is Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

My last 5k I ran I did with a double stroller, my goal was simply to complete it...coming up the last hill I had decided I was done! I felt I couldnt go on, I knew the finish line was at the top but I felt I couldnt keep on...just then I felt the stroller (which weighed bout 80lbs) get lighter, two other runners had grabbed the sides when they saw me struggling. They helped me to the top and ran on ahead leaving me to finish the race that I so wanted to quit just mins before.

From this verse I read that this race we are running isnt always going to be easy, if it was we wouldnt need endurance, but we also need those people who see when we are struggling up those hills and help us up!

I am so thankful that the path is already SET before me. I know the finish line is just up ahead but there will be times I need a shove to continue! I pray I have friends who see when I am struggling and thankful for a God who hears me when I call!

"they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount upon wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." "My help comes from the Lord"

God's faithfulness even in hard times

First I want to ask, if anyone reads these take a few minutes and cover our law enforcement officers in prayer! They see us at our worse when we are hurt, in pain (physically and emotionally), lost or just in need of direction. They protect and serve our community everyday often unseen (unless their lights are behind you). I have a friend who has seen more than anyone should and on top of a personal life roller coaster is also facing many uncertainties at work.

This is were why heart is as I type today. I was asked for advice for dealing with stressful situations, this person thought I handle stress well. I have dealt with an appartment flood while pregnant, I have got behind on my bills and paid some hard consquences, had a premiee, lost my job, spent 2 years searching for another while going to school and trying to raise 2 kids, lost my Uncle to cancer, almost lost my dad to H1N1, dealt with car probs and NUMEROUS money probs...even though I say "I" the only reason I know we(our family) made it is HIM.

In Judges He promises to be with me, in Psalm He says He will equipe me, and that He is on my side I have nothing to fear, in Isaiah He again tells me He will give me strength.

God has allowed people in my life that I watch face things I think I never could and He uses them to show me that with Him all things are possible!

All I know is that in the past 25 years I have seen Gods faithfulness in so many ways, yet I think Thomas and I would have been good friends. I see God get me through one situation yet in my heart doubt Him the next time I face a trail.

To the person facing hard times, hard day at work, loss of a job or relationship, sickness, etc. I know God will use your situation to grow you and show you yet again His faithfulness. He loves you and is for you, you have NOTHING to fear for with God all things are possible.

"Count you blessings count them one by one. Count your blessings see what God has done..." "Turn you eyes apon Jesus...and the things of earth with grow strangely dim in the light of His goodness and grace."

Plan B

I have tried to write this post 100 times...we have been doing a study in Sunday School about plan B.

I have had times in my life where my plan didn't go a planned and I have had to go to "plan b". It is in those times I want my plan to work and can't see the good God has in store...good I can't even imagine.

Recently I have watched a loved one's plan A fall apart. I know God makes no mistakes...He doesn't need a plan b...but for those of us here that only see a snapshot waiting to see how our plan b works out there is often pain, disappointment, tears but then at some point we realize that He loves us and had something better in store all along.

Here is to patiently waiting on plan b and knowing may not see it now but it is going to be better than we ever dreamed for ourselves!